It’s no secret that football is something of a religion in the South. Locals wait all year for their hometown boys to return to the turf. Friday nights under the lights of the local stadium is an experience all its own. Each school, each team, each stadium has a vibe all their own. So often all the attention is placed only on the football team. One only sees footage of the play on the field. To truly take in the whole experience of a Friday night at the local football stadium one must look around.
There’s the cheerleaders who have waited patiently to have their night cheering on their team in front of the hometown crowd. Years of cheering, the countless practices, tumbling lessons, and injuries become worth it when their team breaks through the banner. When their team gets energized by the roar of the crowd who were spurred on by their cheers. 
Look along the side lines. Dozens of support staff from coaches to medical staff to student football managers all putting their time and energy into the success of the team. They are at all the practices, the games, and the meetings. They sacrifice their time for the team. Those hot summer practices are endless and they are there melting under the scorching Georgia sun. Each coach has given up time that could have been spent with their family, has worried about players, and has poured out love and guidance to their athletes.
Half time comes and it’s the school band’s turn to shine. Each musician and dancer takes their place on the field. The drum major gives the cue to start. The show begins and each band member pours their soul into their performance. The members of the band and color guard can be seen in the summer rehearsing their halftime show while the football team practices on a nearby field. Countless hours are spent making sure their performance is flawless.
Glance around the stands. One can usually spot the parents of players on the team. They have out their video cameras recording the action on the field to later post on their hudl or twitter accounts. They are the ones shouting the loudest, get the most passionate about bad calls by the referees. These parents have invested so much into their boys not only financially but emotionally.
One need only to look over at the student section to see some wild display of school spirit. It’s the only time one will see macho type students with hair to match the school colors and war paint on every surface of their body that isn’t clothed. These are kids who are there cheering for not only school spirit but for their friends out on the field. This section gets rowdier than any other. Memories to last a lifetime are being made.
Then there’s the die hard fans. The ones who show up to the games even though they do not have kids involved in the football team, band, or cheerleading squad. They show up in warm weather and when it’s so cold that most people stay home all warm under their blankets. They are the sort that then asked about being a fan they would say,
“I was born a fan, I will die a fan.” Folks, it’s finally mid August in Georgia and entire communities have come alive. Hallelujah!
Football has returned on Friday nights under the lights where memories and traditions are being made.
